SERIAL KILLERS-LECTURE 5

Based primarily on Vronsky’s Serial Killers-

end of Chapter 4 and all of Chapter 5-The Question of Madness
 FEMALE SERIAL KILLERS
THE “QUIET KILLERS”
STATISTICS & CHARACTERISTICS
• Killing careers last 2x as long as male S.K. – 8 years vs. 4 years;
• Kill at home or professional workplace—often killing is not even noticed
• 95% are white;
• Work: 10% unemployed; 10% professionals; 10% skilled workers; 15% semiskilled; 11%
other – self-employed, etc; 41% unknown;
• Vronsky: Interpersonal violence is less acceptable in higher socioeconomic classes, so
female serial killers likely have psychopathology – They contemplate & plan murders
carefully;
• Motive: 74% at least partially motivated by financial gain
 SOME FEMALE SERIAL KILLERS

BUT, LET’S NOT FORGET ABOUT 2 WE’VE ALREADY MET. . .

BERTHA GIFFORD’S DECEIVING FAÇADE
 COUNTESS ELIZABETH BATHORY

• 1560-1615-From wealthy, powerful

family in Transylvania;
• Married to Count Gyorgy Thurzo-
taught her torture techniques developed
on the battlefield;
• Tortured & killed 600-650 girls over 10
years
 AILEEN WUORNOS

Was she a SK? Early life

• Her father was a pedophile, convicted of
numerous rapes of children, was a schizophrenic,
spent most of time in prison & hung himself
• When Aileen was 4 y.o., her mother abandoned
her & her brother, so her grandparents raised her
• Her grandfather, an alcoholic, beat & raped her—
kicked her & her brother out when she was 15 y.o.
• Was raped at age 14 by grandfather’s friend,
became pregnant & had baby
• Then, began life of prostitution, petty crimes &
drug / alcohol abuse
 AILEEN’S EARLY CRIMINAL
Just bazaar life events
• In Colorado, charged with DWI, disorderly
conduct & shooting a gun from a moving vehicle
• Hitchhiked to Florida & married a 69 y.o. yacht
club president who she later attacked with his
cane, after which he got a restraining order.
• Went back to Michigan, threw a cue ball at a
bartender – her brother died of esophageal cancer
• Went back to Florida, held up a convenience
store, was convicted & sent to prison
• Engaged in many violent / fraudulent crimes,
many involving guns
CAREER
Then, she began killing
• Supported her girlfriend / lover & herself by
prostitution
• She first killed in 1989- “victim” was a 51 y.o.
convicted rapist who she said attacked her, so she shot
& killed him. She took his car & ditched it miles away
• This killing was the one that upon which she was
condemned
• She then killed 6 more men, ages 43, 40, 65, 50, 56 &
62
• Was caught, tried for the first killing, sentenced to death
& was subsequently given 5 more death sentences.
• She was executed in 2002 in Florida
FEMALE SERIAL KILLERS
FUNCTION AS ACCOMPLICES 44%
OF TIME

WHY?
Vronsky analyzes this using Abraham Maslow’s
studies of sexual behavior based on observations of
monkeys and young college “girls” done in the 1930’s

?
 WHAT DO PSYCHOLOGISTS TODAY SAY IS THE
REASON WOMEN SUCCUMB TO PARTNERING
WITH A DOMINANT SERIAL KILLER?
Al Carlisle, Ph.D., a former FBI Special Agent Robert Hazelwood and
prison psychologist Janet Warren, a professor of clinical
psychiatric medicine
◄
Duo S.K. develop a relationship
icharacterized by a strong interdependence in From:
which both parties need something critical First, predators identify a vulnerable target.
from the other, explains Al Carlisle, Ph.D., a They then groom her for S.K. “Partners in Crime”
former prison psychologist First, a predator shows "love" as a ploy to
The dominant person needs the follower's acquire information for leverage. Second, he By Katherine Ramsland,
total loyalty in order to validate him- or introduces a sexual act that is outside the
woman's experience. After succeeding, he published July 1, 2014, in
herself. The subservient follower needs the
power and authority of the dominant person, adds others until deviance became routine. Psychology Today, last
so he or she attempts to become that person's He then increases his partner's dependence reviewed on June 9, 2016
shadow and to mirror the dominant person's by restricting outside contact. As the
beliefs and ethics. Each receives justification woman is already fragile, she cames to need
from the other." the male for self-worth, companionship, and
life direction.

Gwendolyn Graham
A nurse’s aide who worked in the same
nursing home as Wood. Murdered five
elderly victims with wet washcloth & tried
to kill another.
GWENDOLYN GRAHAM &
CATHERINE MAY WOOD
Catherine May Wood
Recently divorced 450 lb. supervisor in the
same nursing home as Graham. Stood
guard as Graham killed victims.
Their M.O. & sentences
Around 1987, Wood convinced
Graham that it would be a sexual
thrill to them, as a lesbian couple,
killed six elderly patients in the
nursing home so that their last names
would spell the word “murder.”
Evidently worked.
After each murder, they had sex in a
vacant room.
Wood turned informant & got a 20-
40 year sentence. Graham given 6
life sentences.

Myra Hindley
18 y.o. who was raised by her grandmother in
Met Brady in her job as a typist at company
where he was a stocker. Became Brady’s
lover & lured some of their victims, killing
others
MYRA HINDLEY & IAN BRADY
“THE MOORS MURDERERS”
Ian Brady
23 y.o. who became dominant lover of
Hindley. He convinced her to commit a
series of murders of young people and get
away with them to prove they were superior
to other people.
Their M.O. & sentences
Between 1963 & 65, the couple used various
methods to attract young people to isolated places.
Their favorite ploy was to tell the kid that they
needed help finding something, like an expensive
glove, that Hindley lost at the Moors. Once there,
Brady would rape and kill them
They chose early teens because they thought they
would not be missed as much as a younger child.
They sometimes stabbed and axed the kids to
death. Hindley used a string to strangle 1 victim.
Killed a total of 9 in Manchester, G.B.
Hyndley was sentenced to life in prison & died
there in 2002 at age 60.
Brady sentenced to life in prison. Served 19 years
in regular prison, then sent to mental hospital,
where he lives today.
 KARLA HOMOLKA & PAUL BERNARDO
Karla Homolka
“Normal” family background with 2 sisters.
She obtained doping drugs from her
employer which was an animal clinic. She
used those drugs to incapacitate teenage
victims, who she & Bernardo raped, tortured
& killed.
Paul Bernardo
Son of a different father than his mother’s
husband. Committed < 15 rapes. Police did
not suspect this attractive, polite accountant.
Married Homolka. Was put on trial for
murders due to Homolka turning state’s
evidence.
Their M.O. & sentences
This husband & wife team kidnapped, raped
& tortured at least 3 adolescent girls, with
Bernardo continuing to commit rapes on his
own. The couple videotaped their crimes.
Homolka entered into plea deal for a 12 year
sentence for manslaughter in exchange for
her testimony against Bernardo. Afterwards,
police found & viewed videotapes showing
Homolka as an active participant in rapes,
torture & murders. She was released from
prison in 2005.
Bernardo was sentenced to 25 years in prison
in 1995. He was later declared a “dangerous
offender” which means he will never be
released.
 CHARLENE GALLEGO & GERALD GALLEGO
Charlene Gallego
Daughter of a wealthy California family with
IQ of 160, college degree, multi-talented.
Met husband in 1977. She was a bisexual,
drug & alcohol addict who participated in
abductions & rapes, but Gerald Gallego
actually killed them.
Gerald Gallego
Son of a 2 x police killer who was executed
in Mississippi’s gas chamber when Gerald
Gallego was 9 y.o. He used blunt objects &
pistols to kill victims after raping & torturing
them. He had a long history of crimes, such
as burglary. Molested his daughter.
Their M.O. & sentences
They envisioned having sex slaves, whom he
would kill after having used them.
Gerald Gallego committed murders when he
was out of work as a truck driver or
bartender.
It was Charlene’s idea to kidnap, rape &
murder young girls, which they proceeded to
do. Most often, picked up hitchhikers or
lone girls, drove them to isolated places to
kill victims & dump their bodies. They
murdered < 10 people.
Charlene turned state’s evidence & was
sentenced to 16 years – released in 1997.
He was sentenced to death, but died in prison
of cancer in 2002.
 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE AMONG A SPREE
SPREE KILLER
Definition: A person who kills
2 or more people within a short
amount of time, generally
thought to be less than 30 days.
There is no “cooling off
period” according to the FBI.
Example: John Allen Muhammad
& John Lee Malvo—”The Beltway
Snipers” who killed < 17 people in
a month in 2002.
KILLER, A MASS MURDERER
& A SERIAL KILLER
MASS MURDERER
Definition: A person who kills
multiple people simultaneously or
in a short period of time. The FBI
requires the killing of <4 people
with no cooling off period,
although the federal government
reduced the number to 3 “in a
single event.”
Example: Stephen Paddock-
The Las Vegas shooter who killed
59 & wounding 515 people in
October, 2017.
SERIAL KILLER
Definition: A person who
commits more than one murder on
separate occasions, although FBI
requires a minimum of 3 victims.
The FBI requires a significant
cooling off period & for the
murders to occur in a time period
longer than 1 month.
Example: Jeffrey Dahmer
He raped, tortured & killed < 17
men over 13 years beginning in
1978 in Milwaukee.
THE QUESTION OF MADNESS:
INSIDE THEIR HEADS
BASED PRIMARILY ON CHAPTER 5 OF SERIAL KILLERS BY PETER VRONSKY
 THE LOOPING DEFINITION OF
INSANITY

• How can a S.K. be found sane? It is not wisdom

• After all, S.K. behave in a way that society but authority that
finds abhorrent—killing innocent people makes a law
• Is Ed Gein’s skinning & removing of
women’s body parts different from Ted Thomas Hobbes
Bundy’s neatly planned abduction, killing Brittish philosopher
& necrophilia?
 FOLLOWING THE MACHINATIONS OF THE LAW:

Henry III’s era

(1216-1272) 14th Century 1581

King Henry could That defense was made Legal authorities settled
commute a death sentence part of the appellate on the definition of
of an “insane” criminal if process, so the King’s insanity as not knowing
it could be demonstrated finding of “insanity” was the difference between
that irrational behavior no longer needed. good & evil
was not unusual in the
past.

1843
The McNaughten rule
Insanity defense proven if:
“. . . at the time of the committing of the
act, the party accused was laboring
under such a defect of reason, from
disease of the mind, as not to know the
nature and quality of the act ; or if he
did know it, that he did not know he
was doing what was wrong.”
A British case
1887
The Alabama Supreme Court
expanded the McNaughten rule to
include “if by reason of duress of
such mental disease, he had so far
lost the power to choose between
the right and wrong, and to avoid
doing the act in question, as that
his free agency was at the time
destroyed.”
Alabama v. Parsons
NEXT. . .
1954
A U.S. federal court further
expanded the McNaughten rule:
Insanity is proven if:
“. . . As a result of mental
disease or defect he lacks
substantial capacity to. . .
Conform his conduct to the
requirements of the law.”
Durham v. United States
 AND FINALLY. . .

CONGRESS CAME TO THE RESCUE

It passed the Insanity Defense Reform Act (1984)

Thereby, Congress returned the insanity defense definition nearly back to the McNaughten Rule, stating
that insanity is defined as:

“At the time of the commission of the acts constituting the offense, the defendant, as a result of a severe
mental disease or defect, was unable to appreciate the nature and quality or the wrongfulness of his acts.
Mental disease or defect does not otherwise constitute a defense.”
 WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN PSYCHOTICS &
PSYCHOPATHS
PSYCHOSIS- PSYCHOPATHY-

“fundamental derangement of the mind (as in “mental disorder especially marked by egocentric and
schizophrenia) characterized by defective or lost contact
antisocial behavior”
with reality especially as evidenced by delusions,
hallucinations, and disorganized speech and behavior”

PSYCHOTIC- PSYCHOPATH-
”of, relating to, marked by or affected by psychosis” “a mentally ill or unstable person ; especially : a person
affected with antisocial personality disorder “

2017 Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2017 Merriam-Webster Dictionary

 WHAT IS THE CONNECTION TO
SERIAL KILLERS?

MOST S.K. ARE PSYCHOPATHS

What does that mean about their disorder?

. . . that they exhibit “disorders of conduct of an antisocial or asocial nature, usually

of a recurrent or episodic type, where, in many instances, have proved difficult to
influence by methods of social, penal, and medical care and treatment and for
whom we have no adequate provision of a preventive or curative nature.”
S. K. Henderson (1939)
 WHAT ELSE DESCRIBES THEM
AS PSYCHOPATHS?
• have a diminished capacity to experience • experience no sense of empathy
fear & anxiety which are key factors in • exhibit a continuous need for stimulation
developing a conscience
• are pathological liars
• are often charismatic & manipulative
• display shallow affect
• can effectively feign emotions when they
have none • engage in a parasitic lifestyle
• have no remorse or guilt for victims • show poor behavioral controls
• can rationalize their own crimes, usually • are promiscuous
blaming the victims • engage in early behavioral problems
• have little self-realization & compensate • display criminal versatility
by grandiosity & sense of entitlement
 WHAT DO THE MEDICAL
PROFESSIONALS SAY?
Psychopath=antisocial personality
disorder
Diagnostic criteria from the DSM-IV:
A. There is a pervasive pattern of disregard for &
violation of the rights of others occurring since age 15
years, as indicated by at least 3 (or more) of the
following:
1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect
to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly
performing acts that are grounds for arrest
2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use
of aliases, or conning others for personal profit
or pleasure
3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead
4. Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by
repeated physical fights & assaults
5. reckless disregard for the
safety of self or others
6. consistent irresponsibility, as
indicated by repeated failure to
sustain consistent work behavior or
honor financial obligations
7. lack of remorse, as indicted by
indifference to or rationalizing having
hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another
B. Individual is at least age 18 years
C. There is evidence of Conduct Disorder with onset
before age 15 years
D. The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not
exclusively during the course of a Schizophrenic or
Manic Episode
E. Evidence of conduct disorder onset before age 15
 ARE S.K. MADE OR BORN?
Probably a combination of social
conditions
• Brain injuries (before & after birth) can
cause psychopathic behavior
• Many have head injuries as children or
shortly before S.K. behavior begins
• However, not every person who sustains a
head injury becomes a S.K.
• S.K. have other behavioral issues
And biological & genetic factors
• Psychopaths have abnormal measures of
chemicals & clinical tests linked to
depression & compulsive behavior
• Monoamine oxidase (MAO
• Seratonin
• Cortical underarousal
• High CSF free testosterone
• EEG abnormalities
 CAN SERIAL KILLING BE
INHERITED?

• 18th C. psychologists thought so, but later, this idea was attacked;

• Environmental theories then emerged to explain S.K. behavior;

• Now, experts think there is likely some combination of inherited & environmental factors
that make a S.K.
 DO S.K. HAVE PHYSICAL
TRAITS IN COMMON?

Yes, according to forensic psychologist Joel Norris because he observed the following
common traits in S.K.:
• Malformed ears
• Curved 5th finger
• Larger than normal gap between 1st & 2nd toes
• Fine or electric wire hair that will not comb down
• Bulbous fingertips
• Speckled tongue with smooth or rough spots
 CAN S.K. BE CURED?

NOT NOW
The triple causes of S.K. result in an elusive disease to treat
That is, the psychological, environmental & biochemical combinations that
result in the emergence of a S.K. make finding effective treatments very
difficult.

S.K. who have been treated in psychiatric facilities

almost always continue to kill after their release
 THE CLASS WILL CREATE A
PERSONAL & CRIMINAL
DESCRIPTION OF
PETER WOODCOCK (ON BOARD)
THE CLASS WILL CREATE
A PERSONAL & CRIMINAL
DESCRIPTION OF
EDMUND KEMPER (ON BOARD)